Interpol Issues Alerts in Hariri Assassination

Interpol issued its highest-level international alerts against four Hizbullah men indicted in the 2005 slaying of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a Lebanese security official said Saturday.

The Interpol red notices were issued at the request of the Netherlands-based Special Tribunal for Lebanon, said the official, who requested anonymity in line with official regulations.

The alerts — the equivalent of an international most-wanted list — could deepen the crisis in Lebanon over how to deal with the international court investigating the assassination.

A total of 187 countries, including Lebanon, Syria and Iran, received the alerts simultaneously.

A security source concerned with Interpol told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Sunday that all the countries are obligated to abide by the alerts.

The charges include conspiracy to execute a terrorist act, the execution of a terrorist act through an explosive devise, premeditated murder of Rafik Hariri through the use of large explosives, the deliberate murder of 21 individuals, and the attempted murder of 231 individuals.

The warrant demanded that the suspects be apprehended ahead of transferring them to the STL headquarters in The Hague.

Hizbullah denies the men's involvement and says they won’t be handed over.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Najib Miqati issued a vague promise that Lebanon would respect international resolutions as long as they did not threaten the civil peace.

Officials at the tribunal and the Interpol could not be immediately reached for comment.